Dispensing match-box.



A. D. McGLADREY.

DISPENSING MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. l9t8.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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INVENTOI? BY 1% 8. MM

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A. D. McGLADREY.

DISPENSING MATCH BOX- APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 28', 1918.

1,287,373. Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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A. D. McGladrey mvzuron IIIIIIIIII By N. SJKJLQ ATTORNEY.

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DISPENSING MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. 1918.

1,287,373. Patented Dec. 10, 1918..

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A.D.A1cGZadrey INVENTOR By 3w ATTORNEY.

' ALEXANDER D. MCGLADREY, OF MILLARTON, NORTH DAKOTA.

DISPENSING MATCH-BOX.

Application filed March 28, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER D. Mo- GLAomcY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Millarton, in the county of Stuts man, State of North Dakota, have invented a new and useful Dispensing Match-Box; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact" description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a single delivery match box, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby the matches are discharged one at a time, thereby avoiding inconvenience and waste.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character whichis comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be easily manlpulated, which operates in a positive and dependable manner to feed a single match at each operation thereof, and which will operate to feed all of the matches in the hopper down to the very last one.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description pro ceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure l is a front elevation of a single delivery match box constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front of the hopper, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows on Fig. 1, a portion of the hopper being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the pivoted match ejectin plate partially operated and swung just sufiiciently far to engage a match, the top of the hopper being broken away.

Fig. t is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the pivoted operating plate as swung to the I limit of its movement with one of the matches in position to be grasped by the fingers and removed.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, showing the sweep member for pushing rearwardly all of those matches Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Serial No. 225,238.

above the lowermost match which is to be swung upwardly into the position indicated by Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view, looking directly at the bottom of the hopper, with the pivoted match ejecting plate in the position indicated by Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a similar view with the pivoted match ejecting plate swung upwardly into operative position, as indicated by Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9'9 of Fig. 7, showing the manner in which the match feeding arm or claw projects upwardly through the bottom of the hopper.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the pivoted segmental match ejecting plate.

Fig. 11 is a similar view of the sweep member.

Corresponding and like parts are referred in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a base plate which is adapted to be mounted upon any suitable vertical support, being shown as provided at the top thereof with an opening 2 by means of which it can be suspended from a nail or the like. A hopper 3 projects outwardly from the plate 1, and is of just a proper size to re ceive a commercial box of matches 4. A side chamber 5 is provided at the bottom of the hopper 3, and the hopper is preferably arranged at an inclination to the vertical, as clearly indicated by Fig. 1, so that the matches will feed by gravity into the side chamber 5, always maintaining a parallel relation to each other and moving through the hopper in an orderly manner. Where the matches are packed in a conventional boX, such as is indicated at 4. the retaining strip over the top of the matches can be removed so that when the outer portion of the box is drawn upwardly, the matches will feed di rectly through the opening thus provided into the side chamber 5. For convenience a match scratching surface 6 is shown as applied to the outer face of the hopper.

A segmental match ejecting plate 7 is pivoted at 8 on the front of the side chamber 5, said plate having substantially the form of a quadrant and being provided at its pivot portion with a finger piece 9. In the present instance this member 9 is looped,

so that a handle can be inserted therein if desired, although this is not at all necessary. The curved edge of the segmental plate 7 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 10 which operates through a notch 11 in the bottom of the chamber 5 and slot 12 in the front of the chamber. The upper edge of the flange 10 is notched at 13 so as to engage one of the matches in the chamber 5 and swing it upwardly through a discharge opening 14 in toe top of the side chamber upon a manipulation of the segmental plate. The initial position of the segmental operating plate 7 is indicated by Fig. 2, while the final position thereof is indicated by Fig. 1, with one of the matches 15 swung upwardly into a substantially upright position so that it can readily grasped by the fingers of the v hand and withdrawn from position.

As the segmental plate 7 is manipulated and the flange swung upwardly, the notched end 13 thereof brought into engagement with that particular one of the matches 15 which is in the lower corner of the side chamber 5 at the extreme front and bottom thereof. Just as this particular match is engaged by the notched end of the flange 10, all of the matches 15 above this lowermost match are swept or pushed rearwardly by a sweep member 16 (see Fig. 5), so that upon a continued movement of the operating plate this particular match which has been engaged by the notched flange thereof will be swung upwardly into the position indicated by Fig. 4, independently of the other matches. The sweep member 16 extends upwardly through the rear end of the discharge slot 1% in the top of t ne side chamber 5, being provided at its upper end with a wing 16 which is pivoted at 17 on the base plate 1. The movements of this sweep member 16 are controlled by a rock shaft 18 which has the axis thereof parallel to the axis of the segmental plate 7, being shown as journalcd upon a bracket 19 projecting from the base plate 1. One end of the rock shaft 18 is provided with an integral crank arm 20 which loosely engages the sweep member 16, while the opposite end of the rock shaft is provided with an integral downwardly extending crank arm 21 which is formed with a crimped or cam portion 22. The swinging end of the operating plate 7 carries an outwardly projecting wing or trip arm 23 which is arranged to engage the cam portion 22 of the crank arm 21 and thereby rock the shaft 18 and actuate the sweep member 16 at substantially the same time that the notched end 13 of the flange 10 is brought into engagement with the lowermost match 15 in the frontof the side chamber 5. Fig. illustrates the position of the segmental plate 7 when the trip arm 23 is in engagement with the cam portion 22 of the crank arm 21, while Fig. 5 shows the position of the sweep member 16 at this time, said member having been swung rearwardly to sweep away all of the matches above the lowermost match and permit of the latter being swung upwardly independently of the other matches. A tension sp "mg 2-1 is con nected to the sweep member 16 so as to return it to normal position as soon as it is released, and it will be observed that the lower end of the sweep member 16 is shown as returned and then extended rearwardly to provide an arm 16 which movable over the top of the side chamber 5. When the sweep member 16 is swung forwardly into normal position, as indicated by Fig. 6, this arm 16 extends across the rear end of the discharge slot 14 in the top of the side chamher so that it is impossible for any of the matches to escape through the discharge opening until they are carried upwardly in their turn by the operation of the segmental plate 7 In this connection it may be mentioned that this discharge slot 14 in the top of the chamber 5 does not extend entirely to the outer side of the hopper, but terminates short thereof, as indicated by Fig. 9.

While the matches will ordinarily feed by gravity from the hopper into the lower corner of the side chamber 5, it is preferred to provide a special means for positively feeding the matches. A looped sheet metal strip 25 is shown as extending under the hopper 3 from the back 1 (see Figs. 7 and 8) the outer end of the plate being provided with a bearing 26 within which a rock shaft 27 is ournaled, said rock shaft extending in the same general direction as the hopper and having the axis thereof at right angles to the axis of the operating plate 7. The upper end of the rock shaft 27 is provided with a crank arm 28 which extends under the bottom of the hopper and terminates in a feed finger 29, the latter projecting upwardly through a segmental slot 30 in the bottom of the hopper and side chamber 5. The lower end of the upright rock shaft 27 is provided with a second crank arm 32 which projects into the path of the rear edge of the mental operating plate 7 and is engaged by a tension spring 33 which normally tends to move the rock shaft and bring the feed finger 29 to the rear end of the segmental slot 30, as indicated by Fig. 8. However, when the segmental plate 7 is swung downwardly to the limit of its n'rovement, as indicated by Figs. 2 and 7, the rear edge of the said plate engages the crank arm 32 and rocks the shaft 27'against the ac tion of the spring 33, thereby swinging the feed finger 29 to the front of the segmental slot 30. This feed finger is inclined toward the front of the chamber 5, so that upon the forward movement thereof it will positively force one of the matches into proper position at the lower corner of the side chamber,

although upon the return movement of the feed arm it will slide under the matches without disarranging the same.

In the operation of the device the segmen tal operating plate 7 is first swung down wardly to the limit of its movement, thereby bringing it into the position indicated by Fig. 2, if it is not already in this position. The rear edge of the operating plate then engages the crank arm 32 and causes the feed finger 29 to shove one of the matches forwardly into proper position, exactly as has been previously described. The operating plate is next swung upwardly, and at an intermediate point in its path of movement the trip arm 23 thereof engages the cam portion 22 of the crank arm 21, thereby actuating the sweep member 16 and pushing rearwardly all of those matches above the lowermost match at the front of the side chamber 5, as indicated by Fig. 5. At substantially the same instant the notched end 13 of the flange 10 engages the said lowermost match in the front of the side chamher, so that upon a continued movement of the operating plate the rear end of the match will be swung upwardly through the discharge slot 14 in the top of the chamber 5, eventually assuming a substantially upright position, as indicated by Fig. 4:. This particular match can then be easily grasped by the fingers and removed, and by repeated operations of the segmental plate 7 as many matches as desired can be removed from the hopper, one at a time. The device is positive and reliable in its operation, and will feed the matches down to the very last one. The sight openings 36 in the front of the hopper enable the operator to observe whether or not the matches are feeding evenly from the hopper to the side cham her, while the stop flange 35 on the ejecting plate 7 engages the bottom of the side chamber to limit the upward swinging movement of the ejecting plate.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A dispensing match box including a match chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, a vertically movable ejecting plate mounted within the chamber and having a match engaging seat at the top thereof for engaging a match and moving it upwardly through the discharge opening, and means actuated by the ejecting plate in advance thereof for automatically displacing all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the before mentioned seat.

2. A dispensing match box including a match chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, an ejecting plate movable vertically within the match chamber and having a match engaging seat at the upper end thereof for engaging a match upon the upward movement thereof, a transversely movable sweep member for displacing all of the matches above the particular match engag'ed by the said seat, and means for automatically actuating the sweep at the proper time in advance of the ejecting plate. a

3.. A dispensing match box including a match receiving chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, a vertically movable ejecting plate mounted within the chamher and formed with a lateral flange which has a match engaging seat at its upper end for engaging .a match upon its upward movement, a transversely movable sweep for displacing all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the said seat, and means for automatically actuating the-sweep at the. proper time in advance of the plate.

4. A dispensing match box including a hopper having a side chamber at the bottom thereof into which the matches feed, said chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, a swinging ejecting plate pivoted on the front of the chamber and provided at its swinging edge with a lateral flange which is movable up and down through the chamber and has a match engaging seat at the upper end thereof, a swinging sweep member movable within the chamber for displacing all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the flange of the ejecting plate, a rock shaft opcratively connected to the sweep member, and cam means actuated by the ejecting plate for automatically moving the rock shaft to actuate the sweep member at the proper time.

5. A dispensing match box including a hopper having a side chamber at the bottom thereof into which the matches feed, said chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, a swinging ejecting plate pivoted on the front of the chamber and provided at its swinging edge with a lateral flange which is movable up and down through the chamber and has a match engaging seat at its upper end, a sweep member movable within the chamber for displacing all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the flange of the ejecting plate, a rock shaft provided with a pair of crank arms, one of which is operatively connected to the sweep member, while the other one is provided with a cam portion, and a trip arm onthe ejecting plate for engagement with the said cam portion of the crank arm for automatically operating the sweep member upon the upward movement of the ejecting plate at substantially the same time that one of the bottom matches in a side chamber is engaged by the flange of the ejecting plate.-

6. A dispensing match box including a hopper having a side chamber at the bottom thereof into which the matches feed, said chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, a swinging ejecting plate pivoted on the front of the chamber and provided at its swinging edge with a lateral flange which is movable up and down through the side chamber and has a match engaging seat at the upper end thereof, means actuated by the swinging plate on its upward movement to displace all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the flange, and means actuated by the swinging plate on its return movement for positively feeding matches into the path of the flange.

7. A dispensing match boX including a hopper having a side chamber at the bottom thereof into which the matches feed, said chamber havin a discharge opening in the top thereof, a swinging ejecting plate pivoted on the front of the chamber and provided at its swinging edge with a lateral flange which is movable up and down through the chamber, means actuated by the ejecting plate on the upward movement thereof for automatically displacing all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the flange, a swinging arm movable under the hopper and provided with afeed finger projecting into the bottom of the hopper, and means actuated by the ejecting plate on the return movement thereof to move the feed finger and positively feed a match into the path of the flange.

S. A dispensing match box including a hopper'having a side chamber at the bottom thereof into which the matches feed, said chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, a swinging ejecting plate piv oted on the front of the chamber and formed with a flange which is movable up and down through the chamber and has a match engaging seat at the upper end thereof, means actuated by the ejecting plate on the upward movement thereof for automatically displacing all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the flange, a rock shaft provided with an arm which is movable under the hopper, a feed finger carried by the arm and projecting through the bottom of the hopper, and means actuated by the ejecting plate on the return movement thereof to move the feed finger and positively feed a match into the path of the flange.

9. A dispensing match box including a hopper having a side chamber at the bottom thereof into which the matches feed, said chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, a swinging ejecting plate pivoted on the front of the chamber and provided at its swinging edge with a lateral flange having a match engaging seat at the upper end thereof, a sweep for displacing all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the flange of the plate, a rock shaft operatively connected to the sweep member, cam means actuated by the ejecting plate on the upward movement thereof for moving the shaft to actuate the sweep memher, a second rock shaft provided with a crank arm movable under the hopper, a feed finger carried by the crank arm and projecting into the bottom of the hopper, and means actuated by the ejecting plate on the return movement thereof to rotate the second rock shaft and positively feed a match into the path of the flange.

10. A dispensing match box including a hopper having a side chamber into which the matches feed, said chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, an ejecting member movable up and down through the side chamber and formed with a lateral flange having a match engaging seat at the upper end thereof, and a transversely movable sweep actuated by the ejecting member on the upward movement thereof for displacing all of those matches above the particular match engaged by the flange of the ejecting member.

11. A dispensing match box including a hopper having a side chamber into which the matches feed, said chamber having a discharge opening in the top thereof, an ejecting plate movable up and down within the side chamber and formed with a lateral flange having a match engaging seat at the upper end thereof, means actuated by the ejecting plate on the upward movement thereof for displacing all of the matches above the particular match engaged by the flange, and-means actuated by the ejecting.

plate on the return movement thereof for positively feeding a match into the path of the flange.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER D. MCGLADREY.

Witnesses:

C. E. DAVIS, E. M. BUSTA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

